The Chronicles of Blue Water Bay 2
by SereneCalamity
Summary: This is a carry on of 'Chronicles of Blue Water Bay' 1. Troy's dad takes abusing one step to far, and so Troy moves in with Gabriella.
1. Chapter 1

_This is first chapter of my next series. If you haven't red the first _Chronicles of Blue Water Bay, _then I advise you read and review them._

_Well, hope it's good:_

The summer sun pounded down on Gabriella Montez as she walked outside for a break. She had been working her butt off at the _Beach-Side Café _since eight thirty that morning. It was summer and Blue Water Bay had millions of tourists. She was glad she only had another hour left, and then she and her two best friends, Taylor Danforth and Lisa Arnold, were off for the next three days. She walked back inside and grinned at the first table of customers she came too.

"Hey! What can I get you?" She asked. The family all looked at their menus for a moment before answering. As she scribbled down the order, she struck up conversation. "Are you guys here for the tourist season or here for family?"

"Actually," the wife began. "We just moved here." Gabriella grinned at them.

"It's a great place to live. Since it's reasonably small, the community knows each other quite well," Gabriella turned to the daughter, who was about ten. "What do you want?" She bit her lip and studied the menu.

"I'll have iced water…and can I get a salad without egg and tomato?" Her parents immediately rushed in to shush, saying that she could just take them out, but Gabriella intervened.

"No props, I'll see what the chef can do," she said and wrote that down. The last person on the table was a boy with shaggy black hair, a black and red tee-shirt and black three-quarters and a lip-ring. Gabriella raised an eyebrow and pointed at the ring. "How long ago did you get that?" The boy looked surprised and replied,

"About a month ago." Gabriella grinned.

"If you go swimming in the salt water, its fine, but don't go swimming in any chlorine water, it's bad for it," she told him. He looked confused.

"How would you know?"

"Experience," she said, tapping her own upper lip. "Got mine done about a year ago. And another thing," Gabriella returned to waitressing. "What would you like to order?" The guy grinned at her and ordered. "Okay, be a few minutes." Gabriella walked back to the counter and clipped the order up. "Tay, table 6 needs someone!" She called as she walked over to the table outside with an order. "Here you go," she said cheerfully to the two surfer boys wearing boardies.

"Thanks, Gabs!" They yelled after her. She waved over her shoulder as she took the empty tray back inside. Taylor joined her behind the counter and cornered her against a wall.

"I just got off the phone with Jesse," she said. Taylor looked a little worry. "He's at Troy's place. He can't get in, but he can see Troy slumped on the ground." Gabriella's eye's widened. "I'll cover you, there's only half an hour left. Just get over there!" Gabriella ripped off her apron, grabbed her bag and sprinted from the café. Jesse ran to meet her as she approached the Bolton residence.

"I can see him through the window, but he won't wake up!" Jesse Arnold cried helplessly. "I was banging on the windows and all!" Gabriella spun and faced him.

"Stay here!" She told him. "If I wave, you're too ring an ambulance. If not, _just stay here_!" Jesse took her bag as she raced up to the house. She reached her dainty hand through the window by the door and, after a bit of struggling, managed to pull it off the safety latch and the window swung open. She climbed in and fell on the ground with a thud. _Mr Bolton better not be home, _Gabriella thought desperately. "Troy!" She called softly. She suddenly saw a hand and crawled over. "Troy!"

Troy was slumped against a table leg, his nose crusted with blood and his left eye shadowed by a deep purple. Gabriella stared at him and choked back tears. After a moment, Gabriella managed to contain herself and she began to shake his shoulders.

"Troy, Troy please!" Gabriella sobbed as she tried to revive him. "Wake up, Troy!" Finally, Troy let out a moan and blinked at her.

"My head," he groaned, turning over and laying on his stomach on the concrete floor.

"Troy! Tell me what happened! You have to see a doctor," Gabriella whispered in Troy's ear. For once he didn't complain or argue and so Gabriella went back to the window and waved.

_That's the first chappie!!_

_Please review!!!_


	2. Chapter 2

_There has been so many reviews in only one chapter! Thanks!_

The ambulance arrived a few minutes later and loaded Troy on. They allowed Gabriella to get on, and she got her things off Jesse. Troy woke up and sat in the stretcher. He saw Gabriella and began babbling. Gabriella covered his mouth with her hand and just held his hand until they got to the hospital.

Troy was checked for any signs of concussion and when he was given the all clear, Gabriella was allowed in. That's when a woman in a dark suit walked in and started questioning them.

"Can you tell me how this happened, Troy?" The woman started in a soft, creepy kind of voice. Troy raised an eyebrow and looked at Gabriella, his eyes asking her if she knew. She shrugged and shook her head. Troy turned to the woman and started talking.

"My dad's gone to see his brother, and my mum doesn't live with us. I was crossing the room last night and I slipped and hit my head," Troy said. Gabriella kept her eyes down as the woman looked at her.

"Are you sure someone else wasn't involved?" The woman asked. Gabriella felt Troy tense slightly beside her.

"No! I just told you, I was the only one home," Troy answered in a tight voice. Gabriella touched his arm and Troy flashed her a look before turning back to the woman. "Are you saying you don't believe me?" The woman looked a bit put out and shook her head.

"Oh no, I just…just thought…no, no," she shook her head again. "Well, I'll be on my way." She left and Troy turned to Gabriella.

"You didn't ring her, did you?" He asked. Gabriella shook her head.

"Come, it's lunch and I'm hungry," she tugged at his hand and they walked out of the hospital. There was a small café just down the street and Gabriella paid for drinks and lunch as they sat at the back of the café. She avoided eye contact with Troy, and he was beginning to get confused. In the end, he confronted her.

"What's up, Gabi?" Gabriella looked down at the coffee. "Gabriella, you can tell," Troy murmured, covering her hand with his. Gabriella finally looked up at him.

"You _have _to tell someone, Troy," she told him, her voice cracking. "I can't keep this secret for you! I have people who have been my friends forever, and I've never had to lie to their faces, saying nothings wrong, when everything is!" Troy hushed her quickly as a few people looked over at them. "Troy," Gabriella looked at him and Troy was shocked to see tears in her eyes. "Please tell someone, _please, _for me." Troy sighed and stood up abruptly.

"I'm gonna go home," he muttered. Gabriella shot out of her chair.

"No! You're dad will be home! Won't he?"

"Yeah, I lied to that woman," Troy replied. Gabriella grasped his hand and led him out of the café.

"Let's go see a movie," she suggested, tugging his arm in the direction of the theatres. "_Blood Diamond _looks _really _good and Eva's refused to see it with me. She's says it looks too freaky." Troy looked like he was bending. "It's got Leonardo DiCaprio in it, and I _know _you like Leonardo DiCaprio, you can't tell me you're not interested now."

"Okay," Troy reluctantly agreed. Gabriella smiled and slipped an arm through his. Troy felt shivers run through his body. He put his arm around her waist and hoped she couldn't feel how nervous he was. She obviously couldn't, because she reached up and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek before leading the way to the theatre.

The movie was great, but Gabriella could sense that Troy wasn't all there. It was five thirty by the time the movie finished and Gabriella once again paid for dinner for them. They sat at the table at the back of the restaurant for approximately two hours, talking about everything and nothing. Neither of them mentioned that morning. Finally, at around eight, they started walking toward Troy's house. They reached the gateway and Troy leaned in to hug her when the security light flashed on. The lights were already on in the lounge, so Mrs Bolton was obviously home. Suddenly, Gabriella felt like hurling her dinner. She grabbed Troy's arm.

"I'm not letting you go back there," she told him fiercely. Troy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Well, then, where am I supposed to go?" He asked, tilting his head to one side.

"With me. You can stay at my house," Gabriella said uncertainly. Then she added with more confidence, "Yeah, you can stay in Brand's room." Troy raised an eyebrow. "Brand, my brother. He's away at university." Troy looked like he was going to refuse, but then nodded.

"Okay," he murmured. Gabriella smiled again and led him to her house. "You sure Eva won't mind?" Gabriella shook her head. "Ooookkaaay."

_Great! Review!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Keep up the great reviews, and I'll keept submitting chapter!! Thanks to everyone!!_

Eva Montez wasn't home when Gabriella and Troy arrived, and so Gabriella just took Troy through the house and up to Brand's room. It was the one down the hall from Gabriella, and there were clothes Troy could wear.

"Do you want a shower…or something?" She asked. She looked nervous and Troy smiled down at her. "Sorry," she gave a nervous giggle. "I don't know what to offer." Troy looked around the room and then saw his reflection in the mirror.

"Oh man!" He cried. "I look terrible! I need a shower, thanks." Gabriella nodded and then put her arms around his waist, looking at him through her eyelashes.

"You don't look terrible," she said slyly. She sniffed him dramatically and then said, "But…maybe you do need a shower."

"Wow, thanks," he told her sarcastically. He gave her a playful push before grabbing some of Brand's clothes and then walking down to the bathroom where the shower was. He looked at himself fully in the mirror once he'd taken off his top and closed the door. Troy sighed heavily. He'd be wearing a shirt for the next few days, that was for sure, until the bruises faded. He stepped into the shower and turned it onto hot.

The mirror and windows steamed up when he stepped out again; he wrapped a towel around him and quickly walked to Brands room. He looked through the drawers and found some clothes that could fit him.

After dressing, he walked downstairs to the kitchen where Gabriella was sitting on the counter, swinging her legs, and licking an ice-cream. He paused in the doorway, just looking at her, and the way she looked like an innocent little kid when she swung her legs and stared idly out the window. She smiled at him as he walked in.

"Hey," she grinned and ruffled his wet hair.

"Watch it," Troy warned jokingly, grabbing her hand and pulling it away from his head. Gabriella smiled and the pointed at the fridge.

"Ice cream is in there and cones are in the cupboard," Gabriella told him. Troy nodded and released her hand, walking over to where she had pointed and taking out the chocolate ice-cream and then the cones. He made himself a huge ice-cream and then put back the stuff. "Are you gonna be able to finish all of that?" Gabriella asked unbelievingly.

"Easily," Troy replied with a smile. He leaned his back against the bench, beside where Gabriella was sitting.

"Brand's clothes fit you well," she commented. Troy looked down at the unfamiliar striped tee-shirts and three-quarters and nodded. There was a silence and Troy wasn't sure if it was awkward or just that they had nothing to say. Suddenly, Troy felt her slim arm go around his waist and she turned him to he was standing in front of her, her legs either side of him. "If you _ever _have anything to tell me…about your dad or anything else…you can tell me," Gabriella assured him.

"I know," Troy replied, licking his ice-cream and smiling at her. "Do you think Eva will let me stay? I mean, seriously. Not every girls guardian would let a guy stay at their house just because a girl said so." Gabriella smiled at him, almost sadly.

"You're just gonna have to trust me on this one, Troy," Gabriella told him. Troy leaned forward a bit and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, slowly moving his thumb in circles on her cheek. Gabriella smiled softly.

"I do, I have since you found me on the floor the first time," Troy murmured. Gabriella looked down before Troy put his hand under her chin and tilted her head so that she was looking at him straight in the eye. "Thanks, Gabi…you've been…amazing." He blushed slightly. Gabriella giggled.

"I know," she replied in a cocky voice. He wondered what he was meant to do. Move away, kiss her, hug her, keep talking. She seemed to notice how he was feeling and smiled easily. She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the mouth for the first time. Then she moved her legs and went on licking her ice-cream.

* * *

Eva Montez turned up home about an hour later, at six-thirty. She smiled at Troy and then kind of frowned when she saw he was wearing Brand's clothes. She turned to look at Gabriella in confusion. Gabriella bit her lip nervously before ploughing on.

"Troy's gonna stay with us for a while, sis, he's….he can't go home," Gabriella told Eva. Eva looked as though she was going to ask questions but then saw she the desperation in her younger sisters eyes and Troy's and nodded.

"Okay," she murmured. "Okay, make up Brand's bed. I'll make dinner." Eva left the room to change. Gabriella smiled at Troy's surprised expression.

_So...they finally kissed. Eva cool, huh?_


	4. Chapter 4

_God, I've been getting so many reviews. Thanks! As a reward, I've put up the new chapter all ready:_

Down on the beach that night, Gabriella was walking along the sand, just where the water was trickling over her toes. Troy was sitting on the veranda of the Montez house when Eva walked out and sat beside him. Troy smiled shyly at her before looking back to the horizon. Silence remained until Eva began to talk.

"I've figured out what's going on at your home," she started softly. Troy looked at her, startled. "And I know that your friends now have." Troy bit his lower lip and looked down. "I understand that you want to keep it a secret, since it would bring embarrassment on you and your father." Troy nodded miserably. "But you chose the right person to be your confident. Gabriella's been through a lot. She's an amazing girl for her age." Troy looked up at Eva and nodded again.

"What's she been through?" Troy asked after a few minutes. Eva shook her head slowly.

"It's not my place to tell you. She's told Lisa, Taylor and Jesse….I think that's all….but let me tell you, you are the first person she has accepted so quickly. She was extremely hesitant when it came to Lisa and Taylor. She doesn't like people getting too close to her," Eva told Troy. "But you're lucky….enjoy it." Eva gave him a small smile and walked back inside.

Troy went back to staring out at the beach, but realized that Gabriella was no longer in sight. He stood up and looked up and down the beach for her, still not seeing her.

"Yo! Troy!" Came a shout from just a little way off. Troy turned and saw Jesse making his way to him. Luckily, Jesse was smart enough not to ask any questions about that morning and so the two boys sat down in the sand-dunes, Troy keeping his eyes away from Jesse. "You staying with Gabs?"

"Uh, yeah, for a while," Troy replied with a nod. Jesse reached over and touched Troy lightly on the arm.

"She's a great girl…she might tell you about it sometime," Jesse looked out into the distance where Gabriella had come back into the view and was walking towards them, a smile on her face. When she reached them, she plonked herself down in between them. "We were just talking about you…"

"Hm," Gabriella put on a frown. "Good talk?" Jesse shrugged teasingly and Gabriella shoved him. He shoved her back and then a moment later, they were tumbling down the sand-dune, laughing as they came to a stop and Gabriella rolled off Jesse. Troy used to be jealous of the close relationship between Jesse and Gabriella, but now he understood; they were just best-friend. Troy skidded down the sand-dune after them and fell down hard on his butt at the bottom. Gabriella was still laying in sand as Jesse picked himself up.

"See you guys, I gotta get home," Jesse grinned at them and began walking toward his house. Gabriella let her legs and arms slide through the sand as Troy leaned over her.

"Gabi?" Troy asked softly.

"Mm?" Gabriella replied.

"What's this about you having….a secret? Or a dark past, or something?" Troy saw Gabriella's eyes narrow as she pulled herself up and looked away from him, resting her chin on her knees.

"Has someone told you something?" She asked, her voice cracking.

"No, no, don't worry about that….I just--I wanted to know what was wrong," Troy murmured. Gabriella turned to him and smiled sadly.

"It's okay, nothings wrong now," Gabriella leaned over to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "The only thing which is worrying me now, is how we're going to tell your dad." Troy took in a sharp breath.

"I haven't figured that out yet…especially since I told that woman that he wasn't…you know, hurting me," Troy whispered in a hurt voice. Gabriella ran her hand through his hair and he turned to her.

"We don't need to figure that out tonight," she murmured to him as Troy began to adopt the lost orphan look again. "Just get along with Eva, and she won't mind sticking up for you." Troy nodded once before leaning in and resting his forehead against hers.

"So you're not gonna tell me what happened to you?" He asked again. Gabriella shook her head slowly.

"At the moment, no," she replied steadily. Troy nodded his head, respecting her decision. "But you can do me a favour…" Troy raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You can promise not to think any less of me when you find out."

"I promise," Troy murmured to her. Gabriella smiled and went back to looking out to the beach, his arm around her.

_So, Troy's not the only one with family secrets! I'm not quite sure what her secret it yet, though..._

_Review!!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Okay...Reviews are great! Thanks! Eva's love-life is coming into the story now!_

The next morning when Troy woke up, he experienced a fleeting moment when he didn't know where he was. He blinked and looked around him, and then down at the strange clothes he was wearing. Then it all came rushing back to him, and he sunk back into the mattress, just gathering his thoughts, preparing for the day. He finally got out of bed and strode down the hallway. He didn't notice an extremely tired and blurry-eyed Gabriella stumbling out of her room and they smacked straight into each other.

"Oh, sorry!" They both said at the same time, then both laughed. Gabriella blinked sleepily at him and pushed her long hair away from her face. She followed him down the stairs and into the kitchen. On the steps, Troy came to an abrupt halt.

"Oof!" Gabriella groaned as she hit into Troy's sturdy back. He turned around to apologize and then turned back to the strange man in the kitchen. "Move it, Bolton," Gabriella mumbled under her breath and pushed past Troy, not even glancing at the man in the kitchen. She climbed onto a barstool and took a sip of an iced, orange drink on the bench.

"Hey, Gabs," the man said.

"Hey, Peter," Gabriella replied easily. She turned to Troy. "Troy, this is Eva's boyfriend. Peter Simmons, this is Troy Bolton." The two males exchanged quick looks as Troy sat on a barstool beside her.

"Hey, guys!" Eva called as she rushed into the room. "Gabi, I'm gonna be late back, kay?" Not waiting for an answer, Eva grabbed a drink bottle and turned to Troy. "I hope the room was okay, but you're going to have to transfer to the guest room cause Brand's coming back for a few days." Gabriella straightened up excitedly.

"Brand's coming?" She said in an excited voice.

"Uh, sure--" Troy began.

"Peter," Eva continued, interrupting Troy. "You're giving me a ride to work, my car's at the mechanic." Peter Simmons leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Sure, Eva," he nodded. "And good morning to you too," he added, almost sarcastically. Eva slowed down for a millisecond.

"Morning, everyone," she said quickly. Gabriella gave Troy a grin and Troy smiled back, drinking his own orange juice. "Okay, so I'll see you guys around ten. Gabi, Brad will be here in a few hours, stay close to the house, 'kay?" Gabriella nodded. "Bye!"

"Bye, Eva! See ya, Peter!" Gabriella yelled, and Troy echoed her in a softer voice. They heard a car start up, a horn toot and then they heard the cars engine move away from the house. Gabriella let out a groan and dropped her head into her arms on the counter-top. Troy grinned at her.

"I take it you are not a morning person," he said in a playful voice.

"No, not one little bit," Gabriella moaned as she turned her face so she was still resting it, but she was looking at him. "And don't even _think _of telling the boys how I look in the morning. Taylor and Lisa have seen me a mess, but the boys haven't." Gabriella raised a fist threatening. "You keep quiet, _or else_!" She warned in a mock-angry voice. Troy laughed.

"Alright, oh divine, messy-haired one," he replied in mock-fright. Gabriella grinned and hit him lightly on the arm. Luckily she didn't get a bruise and Troy just gave her a mock-stern glare. "Besides, you look basically the same." Gabriella mouth dropped and she turned and looked away.

"I'm not that ugly!" She protested.

"Nope. Not at all," he murmured in her ear as he leaned over and kissed her neck, brushing away her thick hair. Gabriella giggled as he let his lips drift to hers and she turned to face him, giving him a kiss. He pushed her gently so she was against the wall and then backed away, grinning. "I better go get changed so we can get down to the beach."

"Hm?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow lazily, but then nodded quickly. "Uh, right. Yeah." She smiled at him as he slid off his seat and slowly walked away. Gabriella brushed her hair out of her eyes and followed, except turning off into her room. She quickly changed and done her hair.

There was a strange feeling at the pit of her stomach. It was a twisted kind of feeling--Gabriella recognized it from the first time she had had a crush on a guy, back when she was twelve. She hadn't felt this way with her other boyfriends over the year. Gabriella grinned as she realized that Troy was in the doorway.

"What you smiling at?" He asked.

"None of your business," Gabriella laughed teasingly.

_Please review!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Heya, people. In the chapter, I'm intorducing Gabriella's brother (basically). Also, I need help on who Lisa (the twin) can go out with. I'm thinking maybe Ryan Evans or someone...hm...he he..._

On the beach, Gabriella announced that Brand is coming. Everyone started going "Yes!" and Troy felt a bit confused.

"So what's Brand like?" He asked as Gabriella settled backwards into the sand. Gabriella let a hand cover her face from the sun, but then Troy moved so that he was blocking the sun from her eyes. She smiled appreciatively up at him and moved her arm over her toned stomach.

"Thanks…um, what's he like…He's a surfer, so lots of surfer guys like him. Jesse is really good friends with him," Gabriella said. "Chad has something against him, it's a grudge that goes _waaayyy _back, but it was both of their faults, so just ignore them."

"What was it about?" Troy asked curiously. Gabriella shrugged, her eyes closed now.

"Some chick…." she mumbled. Troy would've wanted to know more, but Gabriella obviously wasn't in a telling mood and so he didn't push it. He pulled off his shirt and stood up. There wasn't anything to hide anymore, so he might as well go swimming, bruises and all. "You going swimming?" Gabriella asked, still lying in the sand, her eyes closed.

"Mm," Troy replied as he threw his tee-shirt on the ground and jogged slowly to the beach. A few cheerleaders caught his eye and smiled, but he just smiled back hastily before moving through the cold water to where Jesse and Chad were. "Hey," he greeted them.

"Hey," Jesse replied. Chad raised his eyebrows.

"So what's the famous Brand like? I didn't really get anything out of Gabriella," Troy said. Chad shrugged but Jesse grinned.

"He's seriously great. He usually comes back with these two other people, a girl named Amanda and some other guy, they're his friends from Uni," Jesse said. "Amanda doesn't ever touch the water, even though she's got a new bikini every time she comes down."

"I'm not such about Jesse, I don't really get on with him," Chad got a cheeky look in his eye. "And she always flirts with Jesse," Chad laughed as Jesse went red. Troy laughed.

"She cute?" He asked.

"Hey, she's nothing bad," Jesse admitted. "But you got Gabriella, and she is way hotter than Amanda." Troy grinned and looked back to the beach. He could just make out the figures of Gabriella and the other girls, who had gone back to the beach. They were fooling around, throwing sand at each other and laughing.

"What about you, Chad? You got the hots for Taylor?" Troy asked in a cheeky voice. Chad went red and Troy and Jesse cracked up laughing.

"Him and Taylor have been hitting on each other since primary school, they've just never admitted it to each other," Jesse informed Troy. Troy nodded knowingly. "Anyway, you guys ready to head out further? There are some massive breakers out there and I _soooooo _wanna catch some!" Jesse dragged his surf-board out further without waiting for an answer, Troy and Chad wading after him.

When the boys finally got back to the beach, Gabriella wasn't there. Taylor and Lisa were all packed up and changed, ready to leave. Jesse frowned in confusion as Lisa passed him his tee-shirt and towel.

"What's up? Why are we leaving?" Chad asked as Taylor threw him a towel. "Oh, wow, thanks," Chad muttered sarcastically as the towel landed on his head. Taylor gave him a smirk and then pulled another towel out of the bag for Troy. Lisa tossed both him and Chad a shirt. "Uh, Lis, this ain't my shirt," Chad muttered.

"Mine," Troy said, grasping it out of Chad's hands and giving the shirt he'd been given to Chad.

"Cheers," Chad said to Troy as he pulled the top over his head. He shook his hair, and his mop of bushy hair sprayed water everywhere, sending a spray over Taylor and Lisa, who squealed. "You still haven't said why we're rushing to get off the beach."

"Brand's here, with Simon and Amanda," Lisa said. Troy looked up immediately at the name Simon. Just then, Gabriella and three other people came down to where they were.

"Hey, guys!" A guy who looked a lot like Gabriella said to Chad and Jesse. They hugged roughly and slapped hands. "And you must be Troy," Brand Montez put his hand out to slap Troy's. Troy didn't even see Brand's hand. His eyes were fixed on the boy behind Brand.

"Ah, Bolton," Simon Lester said in a casual voice. "What you doing here?"

"Nothing, Lester," Troy spat back before shoving past him, leaving wide-eyed and surprised friends frozen in shock behind him.

_Oh, so more on Troy's dark past. _

_Please review!!_

_P.S. This is the second to last chapter. The next story will be posted when I post the next chapter. You need to read the last chapter of this story (and review!) before reading the next one, or you will miss something. Okay? Cool._


	7. Chapter 7

_This is the final chapter! Everyone, I want to thank you AGAIN for being GREAT reviewers, all of ya are amazing, keep my stories going. Sorry, if I haven't checked out your stories, or something, but I'll try to get around to it, now that it's the holidays. Kay:_

Gabriella recovered from shock first and ran after him. Troy stormed on, walking through the Montez's house and down the drive-way. Gabriella shoved open the door and chased down the road after him. She caught up to him at the dairy, where she grabbed both his arms and shoved him to a stop.

"What's _up_? What happened back there?!" She yelled at him. Troy tried to push her off, but she pushed him back further, behind the dairy, so no-one could see them. "What was that?!" Troy started fidgeting, with his fingers, moving from foot-to-foot, looking anxiously from side-to-side. "Troy…Troy, look at me!"

"That was Simon Lester, wasn't it?" Troy burst out.

"Yeah, it was," Gabriella replied. Troy groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "What? You know him? _Well, duh! _She thought. Troy seemed to be thinking the same thing as well.

"Oh, was it that obvious?" He asked sarcastically. Gabriella frowned at him in annoyance. Troy took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "Look, I know Lester from way back, he went to Uni with my sister and a few of her friends. Trust me, he's bad news." Gabriella blinked and shook her head, a small smile on her lips.

"Simon? That Simon? He's a baby," Gabriella protested.

"No, he isn't!" Troy cried. "He's an immature jerk who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a pretty girl!" Gabriella took a step back and crossed her arms, looking defiant. Troy realized that he was going to get a steaming barrage of words.

"And why's that?!" She shouted at him. "He might say the same thing about you! Not be anywhere near a pretty girl!" Gabriella scoffed and frowned at Troy. "Tell, how well do you know Simon Lester?"

"I know him well enough!" Troy shouted back. "He's an ignorant snob, who relies on his rich daddy to get him out of any problem which comes his way." Gabriella sighed, looking a lot calmer, and she rubbed her hand across her face.

"Simon's dad is dead," she told him. Troy blinked and looked confused. "He died of a heart-attack a few months back."

"Oh," Troy muttered. "Still doesn't change what he did." Gabriella looked at Troy, who refused to meet her eyes. She walked right up to him, and turned his chin so that he was forced to look at her.

"What did he do?" She asked sternly.

"At the moment, you don't need to know. Just don't get drunk while you're around him," Troy muttered. Gabriella laughed softly.

"I've been drunk around him. I used to go _out _with him, for crying out loud!" Gabriella cried. Troy blinked.

"You did?" He asked.

"For about a term when I was thirteen--last year--and he was sixteen," Gabriella informed him. "But trust me, he's not as cute as you, and he doesn't kiss as good as you." Troy tried not to let his pride show on his face, though. "Look, Troy, whatever it is, it can't be affecting you know, can it? It's in the past." They were standing close, and Gabriella had one arm around his shoulder. Troy looked up at the sky.

"Gabi, I don't expect you to understand at the moment, okay? You're just going to have to trust me…how long have you known him?" Troy asked.

"Since I was thirteen…about a year and a few months," Gabriella replied. She put her other arm around his neck and smiled. "But you _do _know that you can tell be absolutely anything…anything at all?" Troy grinned at her slightly and put his arms around her waist.

"Stuff like…you're looking really cute now?" He joked lightly. His breath tingled across her cheeks and lips, and she blushed.

"Yeah, stuff like that," Gabriella replied mock-seriously. She reached up to kiss him when Troy noticed that someone was standing by the drive-way of the dairy. He cleared his throat and Gabriella spun around. "Oh, Brand," she said, going pink. "Um, I'd like you to meet Troy. Troy, this is my brother Brand."

"Hey," Troy said, slapping hands with Brand. Brand gave Troy a dazed look.

"Dude, you change moods faster than my sister on one of her hormonal rages! One minute you're storming off and the next you're practically making out!" Brand cried.

"Oh, thanks!" Gabriella snapped, slapping Brand. "Hormonal rages!" Brand grabbed her hand as she slapped him and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder. Still carrying the squealing Gabriella, Brand turned to Troy.

"Let's go grab something downtown, my treat!"


End file.
